Contouring device



April 23,1995. A. H. MITTAG V 7 1,998,939

CONTOURING DEVICE Filed March 31, 1834 hwventor: I 9 Albert H. Mittag.

- H i s ttorneg.

Patented Apr. 23, 1935 UNITED STATES IeATENr OFFICE Albert 11. Mittag, Schenectady, N. y., assl gnor to General Electric Company, a. corporation of New York ApplicationMarch a1, 1934, Serial No. 118,393 Claims. (01. 90 24.4)

This invention relates to contouring apparatus as that of the templet [2, a pilot device lienand the like, and it has for an object the provigaging with the templet i2 is provided for consion of a simple, reliable and improved appatrolling the energization of the tool driving motor ratus of this character. II. It will be understood, that in the case as- 5 More specifically the invention relatesto consumed for the purpose of illustration, the horia touring apparatus in which a tool, driven by an zontal movements of the pilot device I! and the electric motor is caused to follow the movement tool II are both eflected synchronously by any of the pilot device cooperating with a templet, suitable we1l-known means such for example as and a specific object is the provision of means a lead screw on the cutting machine or any other i for causing the tool to take a plurality of roughwell-known driving mea s rfor effecting y l0 ing cuts-oi any desired depths in response to rechronous motion of two objects. Thus it is clear peated movement of the pilot device over the that in order to cut the work piece In to the pat templet. tern of the templet I2, it is only necessary to con- In carrying the invention 'into effect in one trol the vertical movement of the tool II in correform thereof, the tool is driven by an electric spondence with the vertical movement of the 15 motor, which is controlled by a voltage transmit-- pilot device l'l, while both the tool .II and the ting device actuated by the pilot device and a p l device H are being moved horizontally. voltage receiving device electrically connected to Current is sup l e to t armature 0f e @186- the transmitting device and mechanically contrio-motor ll from any suitable source of supply,

nected to the tool. An electrical differential 'desuch for example as theelectric valve apparatus 20 vice is included in the connections between the a l u a as 8- p r of e ect c va ves 20 for transmitting and receiving devices to provide for supplying current to the armature of the motor in control of the tool independently of the pilot deone directionand a similar pair of electric valves vice, thereby to provide for a plurality of paral- 2| for supplying current to the armature of the 2:, lel roughing cuts of any desired depths in re-. motor in the reverse direction. Although these sponse to repetition of the same movement of electric valves may be of any suitabletype, theyv the pilot device over the templet. are preferably of the three-electrode type, into In illustrating the invention, it is shown as apthe envelope of which an ionizable medium such plied only to the control of the vertical movement for example as mercury vapor, or other inert gas,

0 of the cutting tool. It will be understood, howis introduced after exhaust. The presence of the ever, that if the templet is not located on the ionizable medium within the envelopes of these machine tool,,a similar control may be applied to valves serves to convert the usual-pure electron the horizontal movement of the cutting tool. discharge into an arc stream thereby constituting For abetter andmore complete understanding the valves electrostatically or grid controlledarc of the invention, reference should now be had rectifiers. Persons skilled in the art will underto the following specification and to the accomstand that the average current flowing in the panying drawing, the single figure of which is a anode circuit of electric valves of this type can simple diagrammatical representation of an embe controlled by varying the phase relationship bodiment of the invention. a between the grid and anode voltages. When the Referring now to the drawing, a blank piece of grid .voltage is substantially in phase with the 0 work 10 is to be cut by means of the-cutting tool anode voltage, the average .value of the anode H to the shape or contour of, a templet I2. The current is maximum, whereas if the grid voltage piece of work I0 is rotated about its vertical axis is substantially 90 out of phase with the anode l3 by any suitable driving'means (not shown) voltage, the current is substantially. zero. For

A suitable driving means,'illustrated as an elecintermediate phase relationships, the anode curtric motor I4, is provided for effecting the vertirent has correspondingintermediate values. cal movement of the tool ll. Although this I ,As shown, the electric valve apparatus I8 is motor may be of any suitable type, it is illussupplied with alternating voltage from a suitable trated as a direct current motor and itsshaft is three-phase source, represented bythe'three supconnected to the tool holder If: by suitable drivply lines 22, by means of a supply transformer 23, 50

ing connections illustrated as worm gearing I6 I the primary winding of which is connected to theand a rack and pinion (not shown) on the rear top and middle supply lines and the opposite terside of the tool holder. In order to control the minals of one-hall of the secondary winding 23; vertical movement of the tool I l in such a manner 01 which are respectively connected to the anodes that the work piece ll will be cut the same shape of the pair 01' valves 20, whilst the opposite ter- 55 minals of the other half of the secondary wind?- ing 23s are respectively connected to the anodes of the pair of valves 2|.

The grids of the electric valve apparatus l8 are supplied with a bias alternating voltage derived from the source 22 by means of a bias transformer 24, and a pair of grid transformers 28 and 28, the primary windings of which are connected in series relationship with the secondary winding of the bias transformer 24. One terminal of the primary winding of the bias transformer 24 is connected to the lower supply line 22 whilst the opposite terminal of this primary winding is connected to an intermediate point of the primary winding of the supply transformer 28. The point of this intermediate connection on the primary winding of the supply transformer is so chosen that the bias voltage applied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus will be sufficiently lagging with respect to the anode voltage to maintain both pairs of valves 28 and 21 substantially deenergized.

In order to energize one or the other of the pair of valves 28 or 2| so as to cause the motor ll to raise or lower the tool Ii in correspondence with a like movement of the pilot device l1, an additional voltage or component voltage is supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus, which voltage is controlled by the relative positions of the pilot device l1 and tool II. This component voltage is so derived from the source 22 that it is substantially in phase with the anode voltage and it is supplied to the grid circuit in such a manner that it adds vectorially to the bias voltage supplied by the source 24. Thus, the actual grid voltage is the vectorial sum of the bias voltage, which lags the anode voltage, and a component voltage substantially in phase with the anode voltage. It will thus be clear that by varying the magnitude of the component voltage, the phase relationship of the actual or resultant gridvoltage relative to the anode voltage can be varied and the average value of the current in the anode circuit which is supplied to the electric motor [I can be correspondingly varied. It will also be understood that by reversing the phase of this component voltage, one pair of valves 20 or 2| is energized and the other pair is deenergized. The reason for this behavior is that the grid connections of the electric valve apparatus are so chosen that as the phase of the grid voltage of one pair of valves is advanced, the phase of the other pair of valves is retarded. Thus, by controlling the phase of the component voltage supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus, one or the other of the pairs of valves 20, 2| is energized and current is supplied to the motor H1 in one direction or the other, depending upon which pair of valves is energized, thereby causing the motor itself to rotate in one direction or the other.

In order to control the energization of the electric valve apparatus, and consequently the movement of the tool H in accordance with the relative positions of the pilot device and the tool Ii, control means are provided which are illustrated as comprising an induction voltage transmitting device 21, an induction voltage receiving device 28, electrically connected together by means of connections 30, 3| together with an electrical differential device 32 included in these connections. The devices 21, 28, and 82 are similar to devices utilized for the electrical transmission of motion, as described and claimed in the Hewlett and Willard Patent No. 1,612,117, dated December 28, 1926. In the present case, however, they are utilized not for transmitting motion but for controlling the magnitude and phase of the component voltage supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus I8.

The transmitting device 21 is a rotary induction device having a rotor member provided with a single phase winding (not shown) and a polycircuit stator winding which is physically similar to a poly-phase distributed alternating current winding. Similarly the receiving device 28 is a rotary induction device having a single phase rotor winding and poly-circuit distributed stator winding. The electrical differential device 82 is likewise a rotary induction device having a polycircuit rotor winding (not shown) and a polycircuit stator winding (not shown). Single phase alternating voltage in phase with the anode voltage of the electric valve apparatus (8 is supplied to the single phase rotor winding of the transmitting device 21 from the source 22, the top and middle supply lines of which are connected to the rotor winding of the transmitter by means of connections 33. The terminals of the stator winding of the transmitter 21 are connected to like terminals of the rotor winding of the differential device 32, the terminals of the stator winding of which in turn are connected by means of conductors 3! to like terminals of the stator winding of the receiving device 28.

When an alternating voltage is supplied to the rotor winding of the transmitting device 21, the current flowing in this winding produces an altemating magnetic field, the position of the axis of which depends upon the position of the axis of the rotor winding itself. This alternating magnetic field induces voltages in the poly-circuit stator winding which in turn are transmitted through the differential device 32 to the stator winding of the receiving device 28. The voltages induced in the stator winding of the transmitter 21 will of course be unbalanced depending upon the relative positions of the rotor and stator windings and similarly the voltages of the stator winding of the receiving device 28 will be correspondingly unbalanced. As a result, the current flowing in the poly-circuit stator winding of the receiver 28 will be unbalanced and will produce a magnetic field, the position of the axis of which is dependent upon the position of the axis of the rotor winding of the transmitting device 21.

The rotor of the transmitter 21 is connected by any suitable means illustrated as a rack and pinion connection 84 to the pilot device l1. It will thus be seen that vertical movement of the pilot device I 1 effects rotation of the rotor winding of the transmitting device 21 and consequently produces a rotation of the axis of the magnetic field due to the stator winding of the receiving device 28. The terminals of the rotor winding of the receiving device 28 are connected through a transformer 35 to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus l8 and the rotor itself is mechanically connected by means of rack and pinion l! to the tool holding ram l5. Initially the apparatus is so arranged that when the tool II is in a desired position of correspondence with respect to the position of the pilot device l1, the axis of the rotor winding of the receiving device 28 is at right angles with respect to the axis of the magnetic field of the stator winding, and consequently no voltage is induced in the rotor winding and and thus no component voltage is supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus I8. Under this condition, the electric valve apparatus is deenergized and the tool driving motor II is at rest. Rotation of the rotor winding of the transmitting device 21 produces a rotation of .the magnetic field of the stator winding oi! the receiving device 28 with the result that a component voltage is supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus ill of a polarity to energize one or the other of the pairs of electric valves 20, 2|. Similarly, if the rotor of the transmittingdevice 21 is held stationary and the rotor of the difierential device 32 rotated relatively to its stator, the magnetic field of the stator winding of the receiving device 28 is correspondingly rotated. Thus, it will be seen that the differential device 32 provides independent control of the movement of the tool H so that the latter can be raised or lowered independently of any movement of the pilot device l1.

Suitable antihuntingmeans 21 are provided for stabilizing the operation of the system. -Although the details of this anti-hunting device form no part of the present invention, it is briefly described as comprising a saturable core-type reactor having a direct current saturating winding 31a connected in the form of a bridge, and an alternating current reactance winding 31b also connected in the form of a bridge. Direct current of a predetermined value is supplied to opposite points of the direct current winding 31a from a suitable source representedby the supply line 38 to which the direct current winding is connected by means of connections 4|). Alternating voltage is supplied to opposite bridge points of the alternating current winding 31!: from the top and middle supply lines of the source 22 to which the alternating current winding is connected by means of conductors 4|. The remaining pair of bridge points of the direct current winding 31a are connected to the armature circuit of the tool driving motor I through a transformer 42, whilst the remaining bridge points of the alternating current winding 31, are connected by means of conductors l3 through a transformer 44 to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus l8. Since the direct current saturating winding of the reactor is connected to themotor circuit through a transformer, it will be clear that the saturation of the device is controlled in accordance with the rate of change of current in the motor circuit and consequently a correction is introduced into the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus which is proportional to this rate of change. This corrective factor introduced into the grid circuit effectually prevents hunting and thus stabilizes the operation of the system.

With the above understanding of the apparatus and its organization inthe completed system, the operation of the system itself will readily be un derstood from the following detailed description.

In contouring operations of the type about to r be described, it is frequently necessary to take several roughing cuts prior to the final finishing cut. Assuming the pilot device I! and the tool II to be in a position to begin the first roughing cut represented by the dotted line "In, the rotor of the receiving device 20 is at right angles with the axis or the magnetic field of the stator winding, and the electric valve apparatus In is deenergized and the .tool driving motor I4 is at rest. As the tool Ii is advanced horizontally by the lead screw of the machine, the pilot device I1 is likewise advanced horizontally at the same rate. As the pilot device advances, it will move in a vertical direction either upwardly or downwardly depending uponthe contour of the templet i2.

through the same path as that through For example, as the pilot device rides off the rim I25 of the templet it moves downwardly into the.

fillet I 2b, this of course efiects rotation of the rotor winding of the transmitting device and 'a cor- 2| is energized. For the purpose of illustration, it

is assumed that the polarity of this component voltage is such that the pair of valves 20 is energized and current is supplied to the electric motor I4 in such a direction as to cause the motor to move the tool il in a downward direction. However, since the rotor of the receiving device 28 is mechanically connected to the tool holding ram l5, this downward movement of the tool rotates the rotor of the receiving device toward a position of correspondence with respect to the rotor of the transmitting device, 1. e. a position in which the axis of therotor winding of the receiving device is again at right angles with the axis of the magnetic field of the stator winding. When this condition obtains, the component voltage applied to the grids oi. the electric valve again becomes zero, the valves are deenergized and the motor i4 is brought quickly to rest.

In a similar manner, as-the' cutadvances and the pilot device I! starts to rise along the sloping portion I20 of the" templet, the rotor of the transmitting device is rotated in the opposite direction, the phase of the component voltage supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve apparatus I8 is reversed and the pair of valves 2! is energized to supply current to the armature of the tool driving motor H in the reverse direction. As a result, the motor ll rotates in a direction to raise the tool H and simultaneously the rotor of the receiving device is rotated toward the position in which the axis of its winding is again at right angles with the axis of the magnetic field of the stator winding. Thus when the vertical position of the pilot device I1 is changed the vertical position of the tool ii is likewise changed by an amount pro-' chines again started, the above-described opera-- tion will be repeated,but no out will be taken by the tool ll since it will obviously be moved which it was moved to take the first out.

In order to take the roughing cut represented by the dotted line Its, the rotor of the differential device 22 is rotated by means oi! the hand wheel 32- before the second roughing out is started. This shifts the axis oi. the magnetic field of the stator winding of the receiving de-- condition obtains, the component voltage. supplied to the grid circuit of the electric valve 20 becomes zero, the valves are deenergized and the motor ll comes to rest. Thus, the tool II is lowered by an amount proportional to the rotation oi the rotor of the differential device 32. The tool II is now in a position to take the second roughing cut represented by the dotted lines ills. The operation in taking this second roughing cut is in all respects identical with that previously described in connection with the first roughing cut. As illustrated, the second roughing cut lot is made parallel to the first roughing cut h- In a similar manner, the third roughing cut and as many roughing cuts as desired may be taken prior to the actual finishing cut. When the roughing cuts are completed, the rotor of the differential device 32 is rotated until the tool H is in the exact position for the beginning of the final finishing cut; This cut is made in a manner identical with that already described.

It will thus be seen that the differential device 32 provides accurate graduated control of the roughing cuts and finishing cut.. By properly choosing the amount of rotation of the rotor of the differential device, the roughing out can be made as fine or coarse as desired.

Although in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutesthis invention is described as embodied in concrete form, it will be understood that the apparatus and connections shown are merely illustrative and the invention is not limited thereto since alterations and modifications will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit of this invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a contouring device, a stationary templet, a movable pilot device cooperating with said templet, an electric motor for driving the tool, means for controlling said motor to cause the tool to follow the movements of said pilot device comprising electrical devices associated with saidpilot device and tool and electrical connections between said devices, and an electrical differential device included in said connections to modify the control of said motor to cause said tool to take a plurality of successive parallel cuts at progressively difiering points on the work.

2. In a contouring device, a stationary templet, a movable pilot device cooperating with said templet, an electric motor for driving the tool, means for controlling said motor to cause the tool to follow the movement 01' said pilot device comprising an electrical transmitting device *associated with said pilot device, an electrical receiving device associated with said tool, electrical connections between said transmitting and 6 receiving devices, and an electrical diiferential gdevice included in said connections for modifyneaacaa work in response to repetition of the same movement of said pilot device over said templet.

3. Contouring mechanism comprising the combination with a tool and a stationary, templet of a Not device cooperating with said templet,

"an electric motor for driving said tool, supply means ior said motor, means for controlling said motor to effect movement of said tool corresponding to the movement of said pilot device on said templet comprising a rotary induction voltage transmitting device connected to said pilot device, a rotary induction voltage receiving device connected to the tool, electrical connections between said devices, and a rotary induction differential device included in said connections for controlling the operation of said motor'to provide a plurality of successive parallel cuts at progressively diii'ering points on the work in response to repetition of the same movement of said pilot device on said templet.

4. Contouring apparatus comprising a stationary templet, a movable pilot device, an electric motor for moving the tool in correspondence with the movement of said pilot device on said templet, supply means for said motor comprising electric valve apparatus provided with a control grid, means for controlling the voltage of said grid comprising a rotary voltage transmitting device connected to be actuated by said pilot device, a rotary induction voltage receiving device mechanicalLv connected to the tool and electricallyconnected to said grid, and electrical connections between said transmitting and receiving devices, and a differential rotary induction device included in said connections for controlling said motor to effect movement 01' the tool independently or movement of said pilot device thereby to provide a plurality of successive parallel cuts at progressively diflering points in response to repetition of the some movement of said pilot device.

5. Contouring apparatus comprising a stationary templet, a movable pilot device cooperating with said templet, an electric motor for driving the tool, supply means for said motor comprising electric valve apparatus provided with a control grid, means for controlling the voltage of said grid to cause said motor to move the tool in correspondence with the movement of said pilot device comprising a transmitting rotary transformer having its rotor member connected to said pilot device, a receiving rotary transiormer electrically connected to said grid and having its rotor member mechanically connected to the tool, electrical connections between said transformers, and a differential rotary transformer included insaid connections for controlling said motor to effect movement of the tool 

